Celebrate Black Friday Without Shopping

Celebrate Black Friday Without Shopping

Black Friday or the day after Thanksgiving has been associated with shopping for years. People stand in lines for hours and wait for their favorite stores to open so they can grab merchandise on the lowest price possible. Unfortunately, because of the increased discounts, people can forget common etiquette and it’s not always fun.

Fortunately, there are other ways to celebrate Black Friday without becoming the possible victim of stampedes!

Here are some of the unconventional Black Friday activities that you can engage in – in the East Bay – without having to stand in a line for hours at end.

Lightning of the Old Oak Tree – Downtown Danville

With Christmas right around the corner, who doesn’t like to see an old tree all lit up and shining? If you love to see such a sight, make it a point to reach downtown Danville between 5:15 to 8:30 pm on Friday, November 24th.

2018 will mark the 41st year of the old oak tree’s lightning, and people from all over the area come to enjoy the spectacular scenery. You can bring along your shopping list and enjoy the Danville Girls Chorus and the San Ramon Valley High School Chorus while you’re at the event.

The show starts promptly at 6:15 pm when Father Christmas and the Snow Angel arrive to sprinkle the fairy dust around. So, if you have kids at home who would rather do something creative with their time, take them to the lightning where they can enjoy musicians, hot cocoas, and a round of good shopping.

Burn the Turkey Hike – Oakland

Had more than your body could take on Thanksgiving? Think you overdid it with all the turkey and mashed potatoes? Here’s a chance for you to burn it off with a 2.5-mile winter walk. The hike begins at 10:00am sharp and end at around noon.

Your journey will start at Redwood: Skyline Gate Staging area, and take you through the forested slope of West Ridge, Tres Sendas, and Stream Trails. There’s no need for registration so just drop in if you feel like moving.

Return of the Monarchs – Fremont

If you’d like to join monarchs that have gathered around at Ardenwood for hundreds of years every winter, be present at the Greenhouse. These spectacular butterflies are known to group together for years, and you can watch them as they do.

You can be part of a naturalist-led trek that watches if the butterflies have returned and also teaches the group of people about how they can help these creatures. While it is a drop-in event, you’ll need to pay a small fee for participation.

Post-Thanksgiving Holiday Fun – Alameda

Have you always loved the marine life but never really had the chance to explore it? The Crab Cove Visitor Center is giving you the opportunity to spend the day by the bay so you can watch live fish and crabs up close. You can even decide to make a craft or meet and touch the turtles or snake they have.

If you’d like to visit 10:30 in the morning, you can learn about water and ocean creatures while enjoying popcorn and cider. The day ends at 3-3:30 where you can feed fish at the center’s aquarium.

So, do something a little different to celebrate Black Friday and say yes to all these fun activities around your area!